[Arboviruses and lemurs in Madagascar: experimental infection of Lemur fulvus with attenuated strains of yellow fever virus].

Experimental infections of the malagasy Lemur fulvus have been carried out with two yellow fever virus attenuated strains (17D and FNV vaccine strains). A viremia is detected, with FNV virus only, between the 1rst and 11th day after inoculation. Haemagglutination inhibiting, complement fixing and neutralizing antibodies appear around the 10th day; the study of their dynamics shows their persistence through less than 6 months. These preliminary experiments are the first of a series of infections of malagasy lemurs by several Flaviviruses. The results might allow to evaluate the epidemiological role played by these prosimian primates in the arbovirus cycles in Madagascar.